String-fastening device.



No. 704,0i6. Patented July 8, |902.

E. FLOWERS.

STRING FASTENING DEVICE.

(Application fixed May 27, 1901.)

(N0 Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELMER FLOVERS, OF HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

STRING-FASTENING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 704,016, dated July 8, 1902.

i Application iiled May 27, 1901. Serial No. 62,133. (No model.)

T0 @ZZ whom it may concern,.-l

Beit known that I, ELMER FLOWERS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Harrisburg, in the county ofrDauphin and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved String-Fastening Device,of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a devicefor facilitating fastening strings around packages; and it comprises a clasp of peculiar form which is adapted to be attached to one end of a length of cord, so that the cord may be passed around the various sides of a package of any sort and engaged with the clasp at one or more points securely to hold the cord without necessitating knotting it.

This specification is a specific description of one form of theinvention, while the claims are definitions of theactual scope thereof.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l is a perspective view showing the invention in use. Fig. 2 is a plan view illustrating the manner of engaging the cord with the clasp. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4. is a plan View of a modification.

The clasp is preferably formed of an integral length of spring-wire, although it maybe formed of other material, if desired. Accordingto the construction here shown the ends of the length of wire forming the clasp are each bent to produce hooks a, and these hooks a are arranged to lie one over the other, so that one end of the cord l; may be engaged with the hooks and held securely therein by knotting the cord or otherwise, as indicated. The other portion ofthe clasp is formed essentially circular and has produced at one side a single hook c and at the vother side a double hook comprising two members Zand d. These hooks c, d, and d' may be arranged in any position desired, either inward from the clasp or outward therefrom. I prefer, however, to arrange them as shown in the drawings, since this is considered to be the most eective construction.

In using the invention the cord l), having one end attached to the hooks a, is passed once around a package, as indicated in Fig. 1, and it is then engaged with the hook c, after which the cord is passed laterally around the package at right angles to the iirst direction and bent back, whereupon the end of the cord is .engaged inand held by the double hooks d and d. It will be seen that this manipulation of the cord may be eifected very rapidly and without the expenditure of much time. It securely holds the cord without involving the necessity of knotting. Therefore when the package is to be opened the cord may be quickly cast off from the hooks c, d, and d and the clasp, with the cord attached, may be hung up for further use when desired. The hook c may be made to loosely'hold the cord and to prevent binding itirmly, since it is only essential that the cord be bound or held firmly at the hooks d d. By reference to Fig. 3 it will be observed that the part d2, connecting the hooks d and d', is bent toward the hooks to lie parallel therewith and then bowed downward into a curved or crescent form. This has a special pu-rpose in that it insures firmly holding the cord without causing it to be so rmly grasped as to make it difficult to release it. This engagement of the cord with the hooks is fully shown in Figs. Zand 3.

Fig. 4 shows an arrangement in which the hooks d are laid side by side and a sleeve e is secured over their inner portions. This sleeve y has end extensions e', which are formed with the tapering or V-shaped openings. In these openings the cord I) is secured by knotting it or binding it against their tapering walls. This effects a secure connection and also one which is not bulky and enables the device to be easily handled.

The invention is especially useful in postofces for doing up packages of letters and other mail, and it will prove a great saving in twine, since the cord attached to the clasp may be saved-and used a number of times,- where formerly eachv piece of cord employed was thrown away after its first and onlyuse. By making the fastener open at the center it may be easily placed on a le and kept ready for further use without fear of tangl-ing the cords or other parts.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A string-fastener comprising a clasp, having two hooks lying side by side and a sleeve secured over the hooks and provided with means for the attachment of the string.

2. A string-fastener having a clasp with an open center, said clasp being provided with means for permanently attaching one end portion of a string thereto, a means on the clasp at one side for removably holding an intermediate part of the string and a double hook at the other side of the clasp for removably holding the other end portion of the string, said double hook comprising two oppositely-projected hook members joined together. by a downwardly-bowed or crescentshaped part, said part being also bent toward ELMER FLOWERS.

Witnesses:

S. W. FLEMING, CHAs. H. HOFFMAN. 

